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The Carbon Project Will Be The Third Model Manufactured In Gravataí And Will Compete In The Compact Utility Segment Against The VW Tera And The Fiat Pulse.
Chevrolet has set the debut date for its new compact sports utility vehicle: the anticipated Onix SUV, internally known as the Carbon Project, will be launched in Brazil in May 2026. The information, exclusively revealed by Autos Segredos, indicates that the model will hit the market with the mission of competing in one of the hottest and most profitable segments of the SUV market, directly rivaling already established models such as the Fiat Pulse, the Renault Kardian, and the recently launched VW Tera.
Produced at the Gravataí (RS) plant alongside the Onix hatch and the Onix Plus sedan, the Carbon promises a strategic approach to maximize the brand’s profitability. While maintaining the Onix body structure, the new SUV will receive a series of aesthetic and technical modifications to gain its own identity and the expected robustness of the category, including a new front, completely redesigned rear, and exclusive suspension adjustments.
“Carbon” Design: What Changes Besides Height
The development of Chevrolet’s new sports utility vehicle, nicknamed Carbon even among dealers, undergoes a deep visual reformulation to distance itself from the Onix hatch, while keeping the identical wheelbase. Autos Segredos caught prototypes that confirm the strategy: although the sides are clean and reveal the base body of the Onix, the extremities have been completely redesigned.
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At the front, the Onix SUV will adopt the brand’s latest visual identity, which is already featured on models like the Montana, Spin, and Tracker. This means a set of dual headlights and a taller front. For this change, the project required new fenders, a hood, and a raised front panel. The front grille will feature honeycomb-shaped elements, reinforcing the touch of modernity and sportiness. From the side, appliqués with straighter lines on the fenders will be added, a crucial detail to disguise the rounder wheel arches of the Onix and give the more squared and robust look characteristic of an SUV.
Dimensions And Structural Changes For The Trunk
Despite no change in the wheelbase, one of the main concerns with vehicles derived from hatches is cargo space. The Chevrolet Carbon addresses this by being slightly longer. Autos Segredos reveals that the trunk floor has received a specific extension. This change ensures greater cargo space and is essential to accommodate the new rear hatch, which will be completely new and differs from the Onix design.
The trunk lid of the new Onix SUV will feature a more horizontal design on the taillights, visually referencing the rear of the Equinox EV, and will be connected by a plastic applique where the Chevrolet badge will be positioned. A notable innovation is that the Carbon will be the first model from the brand to display the logo in black, which, according to sources, is expected to become the standard for the Chevrolet lineup in the future. Inside, the Carbon Project will have new door and panel coverings, although the seats will likely follow the same pattern already used in the Onix and Onix Plus lineup.
Powertrain: Focus On Profitability With 1.0 Turbo Flex
The planning for the Chevrolet to launch the Carbon is clear: to act in the most profitable range of the compact utility segment. For this reason, investigations by Autos Segredos indicate that the new Onix SUV will initially be launched with only one engine option, focused on performance and the cost-benefit sought by the market.
The chosen engine is the 1.0 Turbo Flex, which delivers 115.5 horsepower and torque of 16.8 kgfm (kilogram-force meter). This engine is already known for its efficiency in the Onix lineup. The launch version will come with a six-speed automatic transmission. However, the brand does not rule out adding a manual option, also with six speeds, to compete directly with the entry-level variants of competitors like the VW Tera and the Renault Kardian, which offer turbo engines associated with manual transmission. It is important to note that the engine will maintain the oil-bathed timing belt, a technical detail that requires special attention in preventive maintenance.
The launch of the Carbon Project in May 2026 marks an aggressive move by Chevrolet to consolidate its presence in the compact SUV market, utilizing a base that is already popular, but investing in a unique design and positioning. With a clear focus on the 1.0 Turbo engine and a modern visual identity, the Onix SUV is set to shake up the competition among entry-level utilities.
Do you agree with this strategic change by Chevrolet to focus on the 1.0 Turbo engine for the Carbon? Do you think the differentiated design will be enough to make it surpass the VW Tera and the Fiat Pulse? Leave your opinion and expectation about the launch price in the comments, we want to hear from those who live this market competition in practice.
Mais um lixo produzido pela Chevrolet com correia dentada banhada a óleo. Só brasileiros **** que compram um lixo desse.